(1858 - 1950)
Malacólogo y zoólogo. Eminente investigador y profesor universitario, discípulo de Felipe Poey. Su extensa obra comprende trabajos de Geología, Paleontología, Zoología, Arqueología e Historia. Su mayor aporte lo realizó en el conocimiento de la fauna fósil cubana.
Biomedical Sciences
1989 | Monoclonal antibody to be used in oncology and immunology
Main executives entity:  National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology
Main author: Alicia Fernández Ordoñez
Summary: The first monoclonal antibody was obtained in Cuba, by the Institute of Oncology, in 1982. From 1986 to 1990, it was increased and diversified the production of these state-of-the-art compounds; there were obtained stable volumes of 20-30 per year. Nowadays, there are 47 different monoclonal antibodies to be used in Oncology and Immunology, 15 of them in systematic production and distributed in 30 institutions of the country. Now the characterization of the remaining ones is completed. The series of monoclonals against antigens of leukocytic differentiation is used in immunofluorescence techniques to classify leukemias and lymphomas, and also to study immunodeficiencies.Three AcM recognize proteins associated to carcinomas and they are used in the pathologist classification of tumors. With other AcM, it can be determined the carcino-embryonic antigen in serum, there is used SUMA technique and also hemoglobin in feces for the precocious diagnosis of colon cancer. It has also been obtained an AcM (INOR T3) that has been intravenously used in the treatment and prevention of the rejection crisis, in forty kidney and liver transplants, with good results. The AcM INOR T1 has been topically and intravenously administered in T and R3 lymphoma treatment, marked with radioactive iodine; it is used to obtain images in nuclear medicine. It has been decided the creation of an installation that can produce 200 per year of these products, very expensive and with actual export possibilities. PERFORMERS: Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology, Institute of Nephrology, Hospital "Hnos.Amejeiras".Risk factors and technological advances in hemorrhagic dengue fever. Some clinical-epidemic retrospective studies in patients that suffered hemorrhagic dengue fever during the epidemic of 1981 and seroepidemiological studies carried out in the municipalities of Cerro, Cienfuegos and Guantánamo, allowed evidencing diverse risk factors in the severe form of this disease: feminine sex, childhood, white race and antecedents of bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus (these last 3, not previously reported). Experimental studies corroborated these observations. There were known the attack rates to 1 and 2 Dengue viruses in the epidemics of 1977 and 1981, through the above-mentioned seroepidemiological studies, and it was corroborated the role of the sequential infection as a very important risk factor in the production of an Epidemic of hemorrhagic dengue fever.Improvement and automation of the national system of epidemic surveillance. It has been perfected and automated the national system of epidemic surveillance of communicable diseases, through the development of several subsystems: - System of Direct Information (SID) that registers nationally the incidence of a group of epidemically important diseases, and, six-monthly, elaborates their most important indicators. - Automated Control System for International Travelers (SACVI), to control Cuban and foreign people that arrive to the country coming from endemic areas of exotic diseases for Cuba. - Some isolation techniques of these viruses have been incorporated; an ELISA system has been developed for the detection of total immunoglobulins to dengue, which is applied in the seroepidemiological surveillance in the country, and several monoclonal antibodies have been developed and generated, which allow the identification and purification of the agents of this disease. PERFORMERS: Tropical Medicine Institute "Pedro Kourí" Automated System of Control to Forest Internationalist Persons of Mayombe Forest (SACIF). - System of Epidemic Automated Surveillance to FAR Demobilized persons (DESMOFAR). - Automated System of Epidemiological Surveillance of Acute Breathing Diseases (SAVE-IRA). - System of Register and Processing of Data of Acute Diarrheic Diseases, Meningoencephalitis, Meningitis, Measles, Rubella, Parotitis and Schistosomiasis. - Informative Systems of the Reference National Laboratories: Tuberculosis, Acute Diarrehic Diseases, and Malaria. The structure of this national system allows knowing at the appropriate time the epidemiological situation of important communicable diseases, contributes avoiding the introduction of exotic diseases to the country and allows evaluating the measures of eradication or control. PERFORMERS: Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" Development of SUMA and its applications.The Ultramicroanalytic System (SUMA) is an analyzer of high sensibility and automation that allows, very rapidly, the security and saving of reagents, diagnosis of varied diseases. From 1985 to 1990, it was developed and began the equipment that integrates this system: the automated reader (SUMA 121, SUMA 221, SUMA 321 models); ERIZO 101 programmable multipipette and MAS 101 programmable automatic washer. The development of SUMA has allowed the consolidation of diagnostic laboratories net to our country, this system is used in diverse health programs. 17 diagnostic techniques have been incorporated to the system: AIDS (HIV recombinant); Hepatitis B; Alpha fetoprotein (defects of the neural tube); Thyrostimulanting Hormone (Congenital hypothyroidism); E Immunoglobulin (allergic predisposition); Leprosy; Chagas; Anti-tetanus antibodies; Meningococcus; Toxoplasmosis; Cytomegalovirus; Herpes; Rubella; Carcino-embryonal Antigen in serum; Carcino-embryonal Antigen and blood hidden in feces; Apolipo-protein B; and T4 antitumoral antigen. Diverse institutions have cooperated in these incorporations. PERFORMERS: Center of Immunoassay, Center of Genetic Engineering, Basic Sciences Institute "Victoria de Girón", National Center of Medical Genetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology Faculty of Chemistry-University of Havana Institute of Endocrinology Plant of Hemoderivatives. National production of marked compounds and radiopharmacos. 33 products have been obtained, among marked compounds and radiopharmacos, through the assimilation and development of state-of-the-art technologies such as: - Nucleotides marked with P32 (Gamma, ATP Alpha ATP and d-alpha ATP). - Compounds marked with H3 (leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, etc.) - Hormones marked with I125 for Radioimmunoassay (insulin, growth hormone, thyroglobuline, progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, etc.) - Radiopharmacos of I131 (Hipuran). Kits for in vivo diagnosis (pyrophosphate, DTPA, sodium gluconate, etc). These productions allowed substituting imports (253 132 pesos from 1989 to 1990), becoming independent from the exterior and having attractive lines for exportation. The main products to research on biotechnology, medical genetics and AIDS; the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular, renal and hepatobiliary diseases, etc. Some of the developed technologies are original. PERFORMERS: Center of Studies and Development of Nuclear Applications, National Endocrinology Institute, Oncology Institute.
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